Talking Trash: Marine Debris and Pigeon Key
Here on Pigeon Key, visitors, staff, and educational groups are able to encounter a variety of awesome marine creatures and habitats while tide-pooling, snorkeling, or walking down the Old 7-Mile Bridge. However, alongside the Queen Conchs and Eagle Rays we also find plastic bags, old lobster buoys, toothbrushes, candy wrappers, and fishing nets washed up […]
Meet the Staff: Maia Griffith
Maia Griffith is Pigeon Key’s newest full-time staff member, joining on as the Education Coordinator at the end of August this year! She took over the role once Callie became Education Director. Maia was an intern here starting in January 2022 and was thrilled to be asked to stay. Keep reading to learn more about Maia and […]
Education Season 2022 Recap
With Summer Camp over, the 2022 Education Season here on Pigeon Key has come to an end. We had an amazing year of marine science programming, snorkeling the reefs, exploring the tidepools, and experiencing the history of the island! In 2022, we had 28 groups stay with us, including a few new school groups visiting […]
Marathon’s Best Summer Camp 2022
For the second year in a row, Pigeon Key is honored to be voted Marathon’s Best Summer Camp! After being thrilled with the nomination back in August, we waited many long weeks during the voting process, hoping to be at the top of voters’ lists once again. On September 17th, the Pigeon Key staff attended […]
Creature Feature: Great White Heron
Edgar, as he has affectionately been named, is Pigeon Key’s resident Great White Heron. Along with the two ducks we have on the island, he is considered a rehab bird due to an injured leg and has found sanctuary on our island. Great White Herons (GWH) are white morphs of the well-known bird, the Great […]
REEF x No Shoes Reefs Team Up to Support Pigeon Key!
Did you know that REEF and Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes Reefs have teamed up to help support Pigeon Key?! Both organizations are helping us achieve our mission to preserve the cultural history of the keys along with educating the next generation of young scientists on marine biology and conservation. REEF is a company that focuses […]
Turtle Release: Sheldon Returns Home
On February 18, 2022, Sheldon, a 230lbs adult male Loggerhead Sea Turtle, was released back to the ocean from the shore of Pigeon Key. After 2 weeks of some much-needed treatment, rest, and relaxation at Marathon’s Turtle Hospital, Sheldon was deemed healthy enough to return to the wild. Sheldon was the unfortunate victim of derelict […]
CREATURE FEATURE: The Caribbean Reef Octopus
Survival in shallow water ecosystems is often tied to how well an animal can hide from larger predators and octopuses are masters of disguise. Like other organisms found in the class Cephalopoda, including squid and cuttlefish, octopuses have color-changing cells in their skin called chromatophores that help them camouflage. Octopuses and cuttlefish can also change […]
2022 Summer Camp Registration Open!
The best time of the year is upon almost upon us and Pigeon Key Summer Camp registration is open! We were voted Marathon’s Best Summer Camp in 2021 and we plan to continue on providing a fun, authentic camp experience for your campers this summer. Day Camp Runs Monday to Friday between 9am – 5pm […]
Admission Required for Pigeon Key
It has been an exciting handful of weeks since the Old 7 Mile Bridge reopened to the public. The Pigeon Key staff have received some great feedback from locals and visitors alike. The rehabilitation project was definitely worth the wait! We celebrated this monumental occasion by allowing bridge visitors free admission to the island for […]